Propeller pitch regulator



July 25, 1933. i w. E 1,919,875

PROPELLER PITCH REGULATOR Filed April 13, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q Q ,Invenlor JW Face 1 7 t By July 25, 1933. J. w. BACE 1,919,875

PROPELLER PITCH REGULATOR Filed April 13. 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 flllorney i fizmmih July 25, 1933. J w. 1,919,875

PROPELLER PITCH REGULATOR Filed April 13, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 25, 1933. J. w. BACE PROPELLER PITCH REGULATOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 15. 1932 Mun f1 llomey July 25, 1933. J. w. BA E 1,919,875

PROPELLEF. PITCH REGULATOR Filed April 13 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 25, 1933. -w c 1,919,875

' PROPELLER Prrqn REGULATOR Filed April 13, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 I Inventor J W. ,Ba/ae pnwm flllorney Patented July 25, 1933 grna:

JEssl w.' ;eAcE, or err, oemronum .PBOPELLER], m 1; REGULATO I "Applic'flidirfiled April-1.3.1932. swarm, 605,084.

This inventionappertains tonew' and use ful improvements in propellers and more particularly to propellersfor aircraft. y

The principal object ofth s-invention 1s to provide an aircraft propellerand mechanism whereby the pitch-of the propeller blade can be changedto any desired degree.

is to provide apropellerQpitoh regulator wherein there are nomoving or wearing parts, during the normal operation of the propeller.

Another important oftheim en-s tion is to provlde a propeller pitch regulating mechanism which can be conveniently and efiiciently operated fromthe cockpit of y substantially on line 17-17 ofFig. 2.

the aircraft.- v e Still another important object of the mvention is to provide propeller pitch chang- 0 ing mechanism wherein latch'm'eans is employed for effectively retaining .the propeller blade at its adjusted position. I

. These, and other important objects'a nd advantagesof the invention will become. ap

parent to the reader of the following specification. In the drawings Figure 1 represents .a side elevational View of an aeroplane equipped with the improvedpropeller. 1

Fig. 2 represents detailed sectional view. 0 the propeller blade adjustingmeans. i

Fig. 3 represents a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line-3'-3 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 represents =3. sectional view-taken substantially on line l-el l-ofFig. Fig. 5 represents a 's'ectionalview, taken substantially on line 5F-5fof Fig. 2. Fig. 6 represents a seetional 'view takensubstantiallyon line of Fig. 2; 2

on substantially line 7 -7 of Fig.2.

sectional view through tliel nose part of the propeller.

Fig. 9 represents av fragmentary detailed sectional View taken- ,substa'ntially on line 9-9 of Fig. 8. P

a Fig. l6 repre'sents an' endelevational View the invention.

Fig. 21represents an edge elevational v1ew ot-one of the gear-collars.

p p e e or one of the segmental gears. an enlarg d fragmentary 8 represents an nlarged fragmentary The forward end of this bar-rel. 15 is 1 equipped with a conical shaped ca 16 which hasa pair of cylindrical bearing s eeves 17 '17 extending radially therefrom'in opposite directions, these :sleeves' being adapted to Y receive the shankends 18-of the propeller- 100 Fig. 10 represents a perspective View of one of the bell cranks.

Fig.11 represents afragmentary side elevatio'nal view of the'sh aft yoke.

Fig. 12' represents a fragmentary detailed "sectional view ofthe modification shown in Another important object of thein'vention Fig.1?) represents] a sectional view taken substantially on line 13 -13 of Fig. 1-1. Fig. 14 represents'a perspective'view of one of thelatch bolts. v Fig. 15'represents aside elevational view of one of the propeller blade collars.

of one ofthe collars. e5 Fig. 17 represents a sectional view taken Fig. 18 represents a side elevational view ofone of the connector bars shown in Fig. 4:.

" Fig. 19 represents a longitudinal sectional view through a slightly modified form of Fig. 20 represents anend-elevational view ofone ofthe gearcollars.

I Fig.22 represents a sidetelevational view of one ofthe segmental gears. Fig. 23 represents an; end elevational view Referring to the drawings 'wherein like numerals'designa'te like parts. it can be seen 1n F1g. 1 thatnumeral 5 represents the-fuselage of an aircraft with numeral ;6 the cockpitywlth the-usual pilot seat 7 therein. Numeral 8 represents the, wings ofthe aircraft while numeral 9 represents generally the engine situated'withinthe'shield 11, and

y from which extends the drive shaft 12.

1-.A .S- iS clearly shown. in Fig. 2, the forward end of the drive shaft 12is tapered as at 1'3 Fig. 7 represents ec 10na1 mew-taken nd provi ed W1 h a threaded extension a d a nut '1 whereby the barrel '15 with its which is provided with an end portion 26 slidable through the barrel 21. The end portion 26 is provided with a lurality of closely spaced recesses 27, there being a row of these recesses 27 on diametrically opposite side portions of the end portion 26.

The inner ends of the propeller blades 18 have collars 28secured thereto by pins 29 and eachcollar 28 is equipped with a tangentially disposed lever 30. As is clearly shown in Fig. 4, these levers are normally diverged forwardly and each has the rear end of a. connecting bar 31- pivotally connected thereto as at 32. This pivotal connection 32 warrants a yoke 33 (see Fig. 18) on one end of eachbar 31, while the opposite or forward end of each bar 31 is provided with a pair ofleg extensions 34-34 for straddling the bar 25 at the reduced portion 35, and a common pin or bolt 36 serves to, pivotally secure all of the legs 34 to the bar 25 at this point 35.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 8, the internally threaded tubes 37-37 extend inwardly disks and rings and 47 are connected by I from the shell 20 to meet the as is clearly shown in Fig. 8, the inner end of the barrel 21 is provided with two pairs of ears 38-38 each of which supports a bell crank 39.

As is clearly shown inFig. 4, a bolt 40 is slidable in each of the tubes 37 and is engageable directly into the openings 27 of the bar 25.v As isclearly shown in Fig. v14, each of these bolts .40 is provided with ears 41 to which the forward end of the correspondin bell crank 39 is pivotally. secured. In each of the tubes 37 is an adjustable threaded plug 42 and interposed between each plug 42 and the corresponding bolt 40 is a compressible coiled spring 43. g

The outer surface of the barrel 15 shown in Fig. 2'is perfectly cylindrical and has the disks 44 and 45 slidable thereon. The disk 44 has a supplemental ring 46 between which and the disk 44 ball bearings are mounted, while the disk 45 is provided with a ring 47 on each side thereof between which and the disk ball bearings are mounted. The

the band 48 so that they can revolve independently while the disk 44 and rin f 46 are connected by the band 49 whereby t revolve independently.

Numeral 50 represents a rocker fulcrumed as at 51, the same being provided with a ey can rockably supported as at 59 60 supported by the fuselage 5 of the airbarrel 21 and head 52 at its lower end which can press against the ring 46 as in the manner substantially shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

Extending from the disk 44 are the rods 53 which extend through openings in the disk 45 and connect at their forward ends to the remaining ends of the bell cranks 39. (See Fig. 4.) Extending from the disk 45 are the rods 54 which connect to the ends of the cross member 55 on the rear end of the aforementioned bar 25. Numeral 56 represents a U-shaped member atthe lower end of each leg of the yoke 57 which has an upstanding arm 58 onthe bracket craft. vA spring 61 is interposed between theupper end of the arm 50 and the bracket for normally maintaining the head 52 urged against the ring 46.

. A cable 62 extends from the upper end of the arm 50 and is trained under the pulley 63 on the lowerend of the lever 64 which is located inthe cockpit of the aircraft. Extending from the upper end of the arm 58 is the connecting rod 65 which extends to the intermediate portion of the aforementioned lever.64. Numeral 66 represents a rack and numeral 67 represents a detent, the latter being located on the lever 64.

It can now be seen, that by pulling the lever 64.rearwardly, a pull will be exerted on both the connecting rod 65 and the cable 62. This will result in the forward shifting of the disks 44 and 45 on the barrel 15, with the result that the rods 53 and- 54 will move'forwardly in the shell 20. The

. crank 39 with the result that the latch bolts 40' have been retracted from engagement in the recesses 27 of the portion 26 of the bar '25.

Obviously, when the detent 67 is released, (see Fig. 1) the cable 62 is also released and pressure. against the disk 44 ceases. Thus, the springv 43 in the tube 37 acting against the latch bolts 40 will force the latch-bolts against the bar 25 and into corresponding recesses 27.

Fig. 19 discloses a slightly modified form of the invention. In this form, the propeller blades 18a are each provided with a collar 28a equipped with a segmental gear 30a, these segmental gears being disposed in opposite directions with respect to the combined longitudinal axis of the blades. On

against tie apex edge portion of the protuberance 78 by the spring projected tapered member as in the manner substantially shown in dotted lines in Fig. 12.

Obviously the form disclosed in Fig. 19 operates in substantially the same manner as the form shown in Fig. 2, motion being imparted to the bar 25' by the rod 54 in the same manner and motion being imparted to the gear 76 and through the gears 38 to the blade collars 28a by the connecting rods or levers 31a which are connected to bars 25a in the manner slidable and clearly shown in Fig. 12, obviously to afford a free motion yet without undesired vibration.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. A propeller comprising a pair of swivelled propeller blades, a collar on each of the blades, a slide member, a cockpit control, a

connection between the control and the slide member, connections between the slide member and the collar, said connections between the slide member and the collar comprising a pair of bars each pivotally connected to one end to a corresponding collar, said slide while in the member being provided with an opening therein through which the free ends of the connecting bars are slidable.

2. A propeller comprising a pair of swivelled propeller blades, a collar on each of 7 the blades, a slide member, a cockpit control, a connection between the control and the slide member, connections between the slide member and the collar, the connections between the slide member and the collar comprising a pair of bars each pivotally connected to one end to a corresponding collar,

said slide member being provided with an opening through which the free ends of the connecting bars are slidable and tensioning means in the said opening for the said connecting bars. t

3. A propeller comprising apair of swivelled propeller blades, an arm projecting from each of the blades, a slide member, a cockpit control, a connection between the control and the slide member, a pivotal bar depending from each of the said arms, said slide member being provided with an opening therein through which the bars extend from opposite directions, the said slide member at each end of the said opening being provided with a tapered protuberance which the said bars can fulcrum.

4. A propeller comprising a pair of swivelled propeller blades, an arm projecting from each of the blades, a slide member, a cockpit control, a connection between the control and the slide member, a pivotal bar depending from each of the said arms, said slide member being provided with an opening therein through which the bars extend from opposite directions, the said slide member at each end of the said opening being provided with a tapered protuberance which the said bars can fulcrum, one of the said I protuberances being in the form of a slidable spring pressed member having a tapered bar contact end.

JESS W. BACE. 

